Comparing sports eras is so difficult because of the George Mikan factor. No big man dominated an NBA era like Mikan, but he would be reduced to a clumsy stiff if he had to play against LeBron James today.

Thus, the prevailing thought is that if you’re the best of today, you’re the best ever. Which brings us to the Patriots. If they win the Super Bowl, would the 19-0 Patriots become the best ever?

“If they win, I think you have to say they’re the greatest team ever,” said former Broncos running back Terrell Davis. “Teams in this era are better than teams of past eras, because of the physical nature of players. They’re bigger; they’re faster.”

That’s fine as long as these Patriots understand that 50 years from now future contemporaries will be poking holes through their greatness. But just because a task is difficult doesn’t mean it should be avoided.

Here’s my view of the best NFL teams ever, provided the Patriots win:

1. 1985 Bears (18-1)

This is the compromise choice between teams of past eras — but not that long ago — and a Patriots team that isn’t yet 19-0. Even 22 years later, the “46” defense of the 1985 Bears is considered the most dominant defense ever.

“We wouldn’t have let Tom Brady get the ball off,” said Richard Dent, the best of the 1985 Bears’ fearsome passrushers.

The Bears started 12-0 before losing at Miami, but went on to win their three postseason games by scores of 21-0, 24-0 and 46-10. This might have been a one-season wonder because of injuries to quarterback Jim McMahon, but this is about single-season teams and it was their postseason blitzkrieg that put the ’85 Bears on top.

2. 2007 Patriots (19-0)

Not only did they score an NFL-record 589 points, they would have added about 40 more had they not played two games — against the lowly Jets and Dolphins — in difficult weather conditions.

“I think it’s the best offense of all time,” former Philadelphia quarterback Ron Jaworski said. “I’ve been around the game for 35 years now, as a player and analyst, and I have never seen a team that has as many dimensions as they have. . . . Their weakness, if they have one, is their defense and (it’s) probably an above-average defense.”

If the Pats convincingly win Super Bowl XLII, they move ahead of the ’85 Bears as the best ever. We have faith Bill Belichick and Tom Brady would figure out how to beat the “46” defense — just as Belichick stopped St. Louis’ Greatest Show on Turf in 2002. But if the Pats lose today, they take their 18-1 record to a more dubious list that includes teams such as the 1934 and 1942 Chicago Bears, the 1968 Baltimore Colts and 2001 St. Louis Rams, the greatest teams that never were.

3. 1962 Packers (14-1)

The NFL’s No. 1 dynasty with five world championships in a seven-year span. This was coach Vince Lombardi’s best team. The Packers scored an NFL-best 415 points and allowed a league-low 148 points.

They were 10-0 until losing to Detroit. The next week, the Packers destroyed the Los Angeles Rams 41-10. This team started an NFL- record 10 Hall of Famers — five on offense (Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor, Forrest Gregg, Jim Ringo) and five on defense (Herb Adderly, Willie Wood, Ray Nitschke, Henry Jordan, Willie Davis). Yes, the Packers dominated in what film suggests was an archaic era, but know this: Lombardi would have won, and won big, if he were coaching today.

4. 1978 Steelers (17-2)

The most complete team of the Super Bowl era, it can be argued the Steel Curtain had the best-ever defense. The 1985 Bears had a gimmick scheme that was eventually picked apart, some would argue, while the Steelers’ defense excelled for a decade. Their offense had more Hall of Famers than their defense. In all, this team had 10 Hall of Famers — Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Mike Webster, John Stallworth and Lynn Swann on offense; Mel Blount, Joe Greene, Jack Ham and Jack Lambert on defense; and coach Chuck Noll.

5. 1972 Dolphins (17-0)

Eugene “Mercury” Morris isn’t going to like this ranking. Not only is this the only undefeated, untied team in the modern era, but it’s the only team on this list that ranked first in offense, first in defense, first in scoring offense and first in scoring defense.

Still, at the Gridiron Greats dinner during Super Bowl week, two players from the ’70s were asked if the ’72 Dolphins were the greatest team of all time.

Jim Marshall shook his head no.

“They wouldn’t get a first down against these Patriots,” said Marshall, the former Minnesota Vikings defensive end.

“From our era, the Steelers had the best team,” said former Vikings running back Ed Marinaro. “The Dolphins were overachievers. But in terms of pure talent, nobody had a greater collection than those Steeler teams.”

6. 1984 49ers (18-1)

This was the best of the three Super Bowl championship teams coached by Bill Walsh, left. Dwight Clark was Joe Montana’s top receiver on a team that smoked the Bears 23-0 in the NFC championship game and whipped Dan Marino’s high-powered Miami Dolphins 38-16 in the Super Bowl.

7. 1998 Broncos (17-2)

The culmination of a spectacular three-season run, the Broncos started the year 13-0 before losing two meaningless games. Terrell Davis rushed for 2,008 yards, and John Elway, left, led the Broncos to postseason stompings of 38-3, 23-10 and 34-19 against Dan Reeves’ Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl.

8. 1986 Giants (17-2)

Outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor was credited for changing the game in this season when he had 20 1/2 sacks. New York won its last 12 games, including playoff victories of 49-3 against the Bill Walsh-Joe Montana-Jerry Rice 49ers, and 17-0 against Joe Gibbs’ Redskins. In the Super Bowl, Phil Simms completed 22-of-25 passes in a 39-20 whipping of the Broncos.

9. 1989 49ers (17-2)

The first of two Super Bowl title teams led by coach George Seifert, the 49ers’ two losses were by a combined five points. They won their three postseason games 41-13, 30-3 and 55-10 (against the Broncos in the Super Bowl). This team featured not only the best QB of all time, Joe Montana, but the best-ever receiver, Jerry Rice.

10. 1992 Cowboys (16-3)

The first of three Super Bowl titles in a four-year period. They beat a great 49ers team led by Steve Young, 30-20 in the NFC championship game, then routed the Bills 52-17 in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys ranked first in total offense and second in total defense. Their offense was sick with quarterback Troy Aikman and receiver Michael Irvin, already in the Hall of Fame, and Emmitt Smith certain to join them in 2010. And tight end Jay Novacek, left guard Nate Newton and defensive end Charles Haley are Hall-caliber players. Their bench included Leon Lett, Chad Hennings, Jim Jeffcoat and Darren Woodson.

Mike Klis was with The Denver Post from Jan. 1, 1998 before leaving in 2015 to join KUSA 9News. He covered the Rockies and Major League Baseball until the 2005 All-Star break, when he was asked to start covering the Broncos.

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